Lessons Learned: Latoya of Sarah & Jessie

Today, I want you to meet Latoya of Sarah & Jessie boutique located in the Jacksonville, NC area. I meet Latoya online a couple years ago, and I am completely smitten by her tenacity, strength, family values and much more. Love that she mentions how her local community college has been a great resource for her business.

Why did you start your business? I wanted a local boutique that had good vibes, great fashion and good ole southern hospitality.

How long have you been in business? 2 years

Where are you located? Jacksonville, NC

The biggest obstacle when initially launching? Fear of putting myself/vision/dream out into the world.

If you could start all over again what would you do differently? Started while I was still in the military so that I would’ve had a steady paycheck. Have a launch Plan.

What area of the startup do people not provide that much information on that you had to dig deeper for? For me, it was things like the shipping process and return or refund policies.

How much was the initial startup cost for your business? I had to work with about $250.

What is your favorite thing about being your own boss? Setting my own schedule.

Do you have a community that surrounds you? If so, how do you find these amazing people? I do. I think God placed these women and men in my life because I don’t know how I found them.

Did you utilize the services of a consultant, ebooks or eCourse when launching?If so, why was it important for you to do this? I did, because I knew nothing about starting or running a business and learning from other people who’ve already been through the process was/is invaluable.

Where do you see your business 3 years from now? I see it as a must go to local shopping destination with an excellent team of people who understand why we do what we do.

What advice would you give a new business owner? Don’t be afraid to ask for help.